1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electrical systems. More particularly, the invention concerns a patching device for use in connection with communication systems that permits altering the signal flow paths within selected normalizing and grounding circuits of the communication system from the front panel of the patching device.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Electrical patching equipment is widely used in a variety of different applications for selectively connecting and disconnecting electrical circuits. By way of example, electrical patching equipment is frequently used to make selected circuit connections between a number of types of electrical equipment. More particularly, present day professional communication systems, which include telecommunication, production, post-production, media storage and other devices utilizing transmission equipment, typically embody patch panels for temporarily connecting various circuits. A patch panel or patch board is a device having a number of jacks at which circuits are terminated. In use, patch cords are plugged into the jacks to temporarily connect the selected circuits.
Modem day communication systems have numerous work stations and production rooms. In most cases being able to access the equipment inputs and outputs becomes essential. Accordingly, communication system users have long recognized the need for quick access patch panels for flexibility in setup requirements, and have realized the need for a manual patch panel even if it is used only for a service loop, backing up an active router system.
In practice, it is highly desirable for communication system users to have a patch panel with numerous electrical configuration possibilities. Location of equipment, adding new equipment and rearranging studio work environments makes it particularly inviting to have quick and easy access to the normalizing and grounding circuits on the patch panel. In addition, it is most desirable in practice to have connect and disconnect capability of the normalizing and grounding circuits for circuit tracing and troubleshooting. However, prior art patch panels of conventional design do not permit altering of the signal paths of either normalized or grounding circuits without shutting down the system and removing the patch panel from the equipment rack. It is this drawback of the prior patch panels that is uniquely overcome by the apparatus of the present invention.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved patch panel for use with a communication system that provides a simple and convenient means for altering selected normalizing and grounding circuits of the communication system without costly system interruption.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the aforementioned character in which specially constructed banks of contacts, which are readily accessible from the front of the patch panel, can be selectively interconnected to program a particular circuit to full, half, or non-normal and can also be selectively interconnected to program the grounding of a circuit without costly equipment shutdown and without the necessity of removing the patch panel from the equipment rack.
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as described in the preceding paragraph in which the contacts are provided in the form of ten-pin header assemblies, the pins of which can be selectively interconnected from the front panel using small, easy-to-manipulate shunts.
By way of summary, in the preferred form of the invention, the patch panel comprises a manually programmable device that incorporates shunts or dip switches that are readily accessible from the front panel of the device. In the patch panel construction of the invention, a multi-pin connector block is connected to a first circuit board that, in turn, is connected to a second circuit board via a cable connector, thus allowing the signal switching (normalizing) and grounding circuits of the respective jacks to be selectively altered from the front access panel of the device. By manually changing the shunt or dip switch configurations, the respective normalizing and grounding circuits can easily and simply be altered as may be desired without costly system interruption.